The Argo Goes West

31, Siren's Hills, part 2

The people of Fort Worth, Texas reveled in the Argo's arrival. Even though it was midnight, the front of the downtown courthouse was brightly lit.The crew of the Argo were tapped on the shoulders and called out by townspeople. Doc Morton was not recognized as a crew member as he was dressed in plain clothes. After shopping at the General Store, he went into the eatery on the street.

Music was blaring there. Piano, fiddle, guitar, banjo... Doc Morton recognized the man strumming the guitar and expressively singing "The Yellow Rose of Texas." He was an engineer on the Argo. There was a boy who was an assistant engineer, and a harpooner who killed Scylla.

Doc Morton finds Roberts at the corner table. He was with a woman. It wasn't Miss Craig. A woman in a flashy dress with a corset that emphasizes her waistline. Morton hesitated, but Roberts noticed and invited him out.

"Hey Doc, let's have a drink together."

"Well."

Doc Morton couldn't refuse and decided to sit with them. Every time Roberts said something, the woman hid her mouth with a fan and laughed out loud. Feeling good about it, Roberts continued. Doc Morton said as the woman left.

"I'm sorry to put you down, but she's not amused by what you're saying. That's acting."

He thought Roberts would be upset, but he was fine. "That's right. She's an actress. She's a poor actress because you can spot the lies."

"What's her name?"

"I forgot. She gave me a cabinet card with her name. I'll give it to you." Roberts pulled a photo out of his breast pocket, but Doc Morton declined.

"By the way, didn't you invite Miss Craig to dinner?"

"I asked her out, but she said she was busy. The Vice President is in high demand at parties hosted by town celebrities."

"Even so, you are so shallow to eat with another woman."

"Don't be harsh. Soldiers can die at any time. We have to enjoy ourselves while we're alive."

Sergeant Romolo entered the eatery. When he saw Roberts, he pushed his way through the crowd and rushed towards him.

"What's wrong?" asked Roberts.

"The captain is calling you."

Roberts frowned in disgust, "Right now?"

"Yes."

Roberts sighed and stood up.

"Excuse me, Doc. If you like that actress, go for it."

When Roberts returned to the Argo, Miss Craig greeted him. Roberts hoped that maybe she had made up an excuse to call him out, but it wasn't. In the command car were Captain Harris, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, and a tall man in a cavalry uniform. Captain Harris introduced him.

"He's Lieutenant Colonel Tyree. He's in Company K, 4th Cavalry."

Tyree saluted and Roberts saluted back.

Tyree briefly explained the situation.

He checked by telegraph to see if there were any abnormalities in the towns the Argo was passing through. Most of the towns replied that there was no problem. However, no matter how long he waited, no reply arrived from one town. The town was Melody Hills. He sent scouts. But the scout never returned. He sent in additional scouts, with the same result. What happened at Melody Hills? As he was perplexed, reports arrived that his men had rescued a girl in Saginaw. The girl seemed to be a resident of Melody Hills. Tyree rode to see her. She was a sharp-looking black-haired girl. At first he couldn't hear what she was saying. He thought she was upset, but she wasn't. She (who called herself Margaret Walker) was deaf-mute. She said she could understand what people were saying with lip reading. Tyree, who usually speaks in a mumbling voice, consciously moved his lips wide and asked Miss Walker a question. As a result, he found out what happened in Melody Hills. The town's residents, including her parents and tutor, and the men Tyree had sent to scout, all committed suicide.

Margaret didn't know how it happened. But she knew one thing. It is said that the ancient Greek poem "elegiac couplet" was playing in the town. ("Elegiac, like elegy, comes from the Greek word élegos," notes Theodore Roosevelt.)

There was something in town singing songs that drive those who listen to suicide. It was clear why Margaret was safe. because she was deaf.

In order for the Argo to pass safely through Melody Hills, something that sang the song of death had to be removed.

"This is our job." said Tyree resolutely.

"I'll leave it to you," nodded Theodore Roosevelt. "However, when you go, please bring Edison's cinematographer and recording engineer with you. I want to leave a record."